ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
June 30, 2024 What scares you about God? If there are things about God that scare you, then I think there is a problem. If love is the goal, and according to 1 John 4, perfect love (God’s love) casts out all fear, then how could there be something about God that is scary? If God desires to be in a loving relationship, then how can fear be an element in that relationship? If a friend approached you for some advice and said, “I love this person, and I am thinking about marrying this person, but I am terrified of this person,” what would be your advice? Can you think of a single healthy marriage where fear is part of it? If this is an experience in your life, I hope you will tell your friend to get out of the relationship and then offer to help your friend get counseling. When the Bible speaks of fearing God, I tend to reinterpret it as awe-struck or wowed. There are times when we approach something beyond what we can imagine, and our knees get a little weak. We are overwhelmed, but when it is God who is love, then I don’t think the experience can be what we know as fear and trepidation. What would the world look like if people began to truly find peace and joy in their relationship with God, and along the way, all fears and insecurities began to slip away? I tend to believe the impact would be amazing, and the repercussions would be seen in marriages, families, friendships, neighborhood associations, cities, states, and even nations. Release all of us from unhealthy fear within religion, O Gentle and Merciful God. Guide us to where there is peace and liberation from all that hinders us from living the abundant life, and share the Good News of life and love with all those we meet. Amen.
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ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
June 29, 2024 Tomorrow, I am looking at some words from Paul’s Letter to the Churches in Galatia. Throughout the letter, Paul is talking about the Law, associating the Law with a curse. The Law is the Torah, the first five books of the Jewish scriptures, but more specifically, Paul was probably referring to certain rules and regulations within the Torah, like circumcision. Paul wanted to emphasize faith and God’s grace above the Law. Are rules a bad thing? Knowing what we should do and what we should not do is important when navigating within a community. For Paul, and this is my opinion, it wasn’t an opposition to rules, but how following rules or failure to follow the rules impacted God’s capacity to love. For Paul, nothing can separate any of us from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:39), so following rules is not what we do to get right with God. We choose to live into the qualities of Christ-like living (the Fruit of the Spirit as described in Galatians 5:22-23) because of our faith in the love of God. We do not act as Jesus invited us to act, hoping to earn God’s grace, but in gratitude for God’s grace. A lot of people will agree, but then set forth a bunch of rules by which “proper” faith is defined. But to do so is to fall into the very same trap that concerned Paul. Love is love, and grace is grace, and dangling these gifts before people by suggesting that they must first do anything is to diminish the very nature of love and grace. As your abundant love and merciful kindness spill over me, O God, I pray for openness so that it might pour into me in a new and transformative way. It has and will be forever given, for that is who you are. I just need to work on accepting it and sharing it. Amen. ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
June 28, 2024 I’m going to church camp next week. No! Not as a camper. I am keynoting the Chi Rho (middle school) camp at Disciple Oaks, our camp ground outside of Gonzales, Texas (thus, the reason it is often referred to as Camp Gonzo). This was once a way of living. Literally! I was on the staff of a church camp for two summers, working with ten camps each summer. Once I started ministry, specifically Youth Ministry, I was still doing 2–4 camps each summer. But today, that feels as if it were a long time ago. Actually, it was a long time ago. As I have been working on my keynotes the last two months, one of my biggest aha moments has been in regard to illustrations. I’ll think to myself, “Oh, that wasn’t long ago.” And it wasn’t, but the youth I’ll be working with were only 4 when that happened… so probably not a key memory for them. This experiment (in a week, I’ll let you know if it was successful or a complete flop) has been a good reminder about what is relevant. The church has constantly struggled with relevancy, balanced with tradition, unchanging values, and truth. For example, we might claim that love is the most important characteristic of the Jesus life, but what does love look like in our daily lives? How does it look different from someone living a thousand years ago, a hundred years ago, or even twenty years ago? At each point in history, there has been some group, nationality, or way of existing that was considered unworthy of love. Today, we not only disagree with that assessment but also express embarrassment or even anger for such limitations. Of course, what are people two hundred years from now going to be saying about us? In the past, there have been respected Christian theologies that suggested that God gave people deadly diseases as a way of expressing love—maybe as a way of humbling them. Today, if someone were to intentionally give another person a deadly disease, we would call that illegal and arrest the individual… and we certainly would not call it love. People will say to me all the time, “You want to change the Gospel (or the Bible),” but my response is to point out how Judaism and Christianity have done this very thing throughout their entire existence. Yes, there is struggle and questions that arise whenever something new is pushing against the norm, but if that would never have occurred, Christianity would still be the greatest defender of slavery today. Holy God, continue to push and expand my notion of the Gospel wherever my expression is currently falling short and not communicating the beauty and depth of your love. Where needed, provide me both peace and boldness for the task of seeing the power of your love reach its potential in this moment of time. Amen. ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
June 27, 2024 I think most Jewish people would point to the Exodus story as the primary vision of who God is—the One who hears the cries of the oppressed and seeks to call forth those who will partner with God in the work of liberation. In Luke’s Gospel, when Jesus read from the Prophet Isaiah while in the synagogue, he read the following words: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me. He has sent me to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to liberate the oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor (Luke 4:18-19). It is probably the best statement of Jesus’ purpose, and each one of those tasks listed is a form of liberation—liberation from some form of oppression, limitation, or subjugation. Today, the church in many different places has lost sight of this purpose, and the only liberation they are seeking is liberation from this planet. It’s all about getting people to heaven. But recently, N.T. Wright, one of the most gifted New Testament scholars alive, reminded an audience where I was in attendance that from the beginning of the Bible to the end of the Bible is a message about bringing the Kingdom of God to earth. We are not seeking escape, but full participation in the transformation of this world. Does that mean Dr. Wright speaks against heaven after we die? No! God is love, and God is always drawing creation closer to the heart of God, whether that be in life or in death or in the life to come. Holy God, provide me both peace and purpose! Let me hold tight to the Good News of your love, and then call me to join you in living that love out loud in as many forms of liberation as one could imagine. Amen. ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
June 26, 2024 On Monday morning, rather early, I received a call from my neurologist’s office. A week earlier, I had an MRI, something they want me to do at least once a year because of my M.S., though I usually resist the frequency they want. I answered the phone, and the nurse said, “Do you have a few minutes to talk about your results?” Her tone was pretty ominous, and I must confess that I was pretty nervous in the moment. When I responded, “Yes, I have some time right now.” Her voice immediately perked up, and she said, “Everything looks great. No changes!” And that was the extent of our conversation. The words we choose and the tone communicate more than we sometimes know. I was expecting the worst, when in fact, it was what I was hoping… and sort of expecting. Now, no one is ever going to be perfect when it comes to how s/he is perceived. There are times when it has nothing to do with us and everything to do with the person who is doing the perceiving, but at the end of the day, it is really quite important for us to be mindful. The Proverbs can be sort of extreme in their dichotomy, but in 17:22, we read: “A joyful heart helps healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” What we present, and how we present it, has an impact on the world around us. I’m not suggesting we put forth a fake front, but awareness is important. Help me, Eternal Spirit, to be cognizant of how I present myself—my tone, facial expression, and the language I use. I never want my disposition to be a hindrance to the sharing of your Good News. Amen. ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
June 25, 2024 I really don’t mind people disagreeing with me. In fact, I enjoy a good back and forth, especially when someone brings a good alternative perspective. I might still disagree, but it is good to have substance in the counterargument that pushes and demands something of me. I have walked away saying, “Wow! You’ve given me a lot to think about,” often when someone’s life experiences are very different than my own. But lately, I have been hit with two different argumentative people: 1. The person who has clearly done some random Google searches, cutting and pasting disjointed nonsense in an attempt to disprove my point. When pasting from Google, one might want to modify the font so that it isn’t so apparent. 2. The person who randomly draws a verse from scripture without asking any tough questions about the context of the passage or the historical context in which the author was writing. We can have good discussions rooted in scripture and even disagree. What I find troubling is when a person begins an argument with, “But the Bible says…” as if that is going to make me cower and submit. I find that disrespectful of the Bible itself. Instead, as an example, tell me how you read Luke’s telling of the Jesus story, understanding the unique context of Luke’s Gospel as compared to John’s Gospel. I have a lot to learn, and much of what has challenged my previously held beliefs has come from someone who was truly seeking a conversation, not a confrontation. Wherever I am in need of a different perspective or insight, O God of the old and the new, I pray for someone to approach me with grace and humility. In such moments, I pray for your Spirit to provide me with the needed grace and humility to learn what I need to learn. Amen. ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
June 24, 2024 We offer a prayer today with the hope of finding within ourselves the capacity to forgive. God of Grace and Mercy, we have been taught in the life of Jesus both the importance of forgiveness and the expectation that we will forgive. As recipients of your great gift of merciful kindness that does not define us by our worst days or hurtful choices, we express joy-filled gratitude as we have all fallen short of your ideal. But even with gratitude brimming within us, there are times when the capacity to forgive falls short. Knowing what we should do and believing in the importance of it, do not always make it easy. So, as strange as it may sound, we ask your forgiveness for our inability to forgive. We believe your love for us is not reduced or withdrawn because of our confession. In fact, if we can find the needed capacity and actually offer the forgiveness we need to offer, it will only be because of your persistent and patient grace. So with some reluctance, we ask you to continue to nudge us where we need some nudging. And remind us that forgiving others is often the healthiest thing we can do for ourselves. We offer our prayer in the name of your gift of mercy, Jesus Christ. Amen. ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
June 23, 2024 Some of you may have seen my post on Facebook yesterday. It was a memory from twelve years ago—a picture taken as we crossed into Texas on our move from Florida. Over the next two weeks, we moved into our new home, unpacked tons of boxes, found the grocery store, had my first day in the office, and preached my first sermon at Cypress Creek Christian Church. The average stay for a Sr. Minister in the United States, depending on the study, is between 3.5 - 6 years. Since I have remained on staff for twelve years, I don’t know whether that says more about the church, about me, or maybe about God. Whatever the case, I get out of bed 95% of the time with a heart full of gratitude for the opportunity to do something that I love and do that work among a group of people who are quite extraordinary. As a church, we have been challenged more than most, but it feels as if our times of wrestling (debt, staff changes, bats, flood, pandemic, etc.) have left us limping like Jacob, yet there seems to be something new on the other side. Not that God is ever the cause of our trouble, but God is the One who walks with us through the darkest valleys, with the emphasis on the word ‘through.’ With every “other side” experience, there is renewed faith and hope in what is possible. Thanks for choosing to walk alongside us every day. You are gracious beyond measure, God, and we are truly blessed. Amen. ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
June 22, 2024 I didn’t expect that! Those words are often said in the world of archeology. Yesterday, I read a fascinating article about a recently discovered shipwreck that was almost 3,500 years old. It was more than a mile under the Mediterranean Sea and more than 50 miles off shore. Those who study such things did not believe ships at that time had the capacity to cross over the Mediterranean. Instead, it was believed that they hugged the shore, moving from port to port. Not only did they find jars containing food and other items to trade, but it tells us that the navigational abilities of those living 3,500 years ago were much better than we previously imagined. And then in Crete, during the construction of a new airport, workers recently found what would later be determined to be 4000-year-old structures, including a 19,000-square-foot building of which no one knows its purpose. As I often say, I am geeky this way, but as smart as scientists are these days, I love it when an unexpected finding turns previously held beliefs upside down. Along with archeological discoveries are new discoveries about the Bible. Sometimes a new finding sheds light on something Jesus taught. Other times, there is new insight on a literary genre that was previously misunderstood, or in some cases, a word that has been mistranslated. The impact of these new discoveries is often rather small, but there are times when it is pretty consequential. Tomorrow, we are going to look at a word that appears only two times in the New Testament, but a word that was probably coined by Biblical writers as it does not appear anywhere else in Greek or Roman literature before it appears is 1 Corinthians and 1 Timothy. Some translators admitted they did not know how to translate the word, and I find that honesty helpful. Others made guesses, often influenced by their own bias or insecurities. Sadly, we are learning that some of those guesses were probably wrong, and even more concerning is the damage those guesses have caused. I hear people say, “Just pick up the Bible and read it. All will become clear.” There are passages that I believe are beautifully simple and require very little interpretation. But what happens when someone picks up a Bible and begins to read a passage with an English word that may in fact be wrong, misguided, and even damaging to some? O God, I believe you are always leading me to greater understanding, which is often found through hard questions, deeper exploration, and a recognition of my own bias. Keep me moving forward. Amen. ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
June 21, 2024 This Sunday will be the second-to-last sermon on the Totality of the Jesus Life. We have been looking at numerous passages of scripture that have historically caused discomfort, anger, confusion, or even brought some people to the point of leaving Christianity behind. Too often, people have been told that they simply need to accept the Bible for what it is—maybe even being told that it is not in God’s plan for them to understand a passage. I don’t find that helpful. As a follower of Jesus, my starting place is with the life of Jesus, and it is through his life witness, words, and self-giving love that I glimpse what I believe to be the heart of God, or at least what can be understood by the human mind. When I find a passage that seems to stand against the most basic teachings of Jesus, I need to pause, take a step back, and ask some questions. What concerns me is when I see people begin to chip away at Jesus in an attempt to cling to passages that promote violence, depict God as angry and full of vengeance, or offer an understanding of humanity as worthless. When you look at the totality of the Jesus life as found in the Gospel narratives, does any of the violence, anger, or worthlessness hold up? If anything, the Jesus life seems laser-focused on dismantling the damaging and soul-sucking ideas often associated with God and humanity. You may remember Dr. Warren Carter, professor of New Testament at Phillips Theological Seminary, who was with us a few months ago. In a couple of his lectures, he spoke of the questions he asked of scripture. They were: Is it loving? Is it life-giving? Is it liberating? The alliteration is helpful, but those three ideas—loving, life-giving, and liberating—are, in my opinion, a helpful summary of the totality of the Jesus life. Less than two hundred years ago, the strongest voices in favor of slavery were using the Bible to defend the practice. Since I do not believe God ever supported slavery, what do I do with those passages that support slavery? We have a dilemma! For me, I feel very comfortable saying that the Bible was written in very specific historical settings, including those in which slavery was a given. It wasn’t that God was in favor of slavery back then, but that people in every moment are limited (maybe bound) by their historical context. In every moment of human history, God is beckoning humanity toward an even greater vision of what loving, life-giving, and liberating look like. Of course, we can’t just point back and mock the short-sightedness of people in the past. We must also ask ourselves where God is beckoning us to step beyond the confines of this current moment in hopes of gaining a slightly greater picture of God’s vision for creation. That’s where it can be uncomfortable. Holy One, let me find peace through your loving kindness. It is there that I am able to ask the necessary and often difficult questions about my faith, my understanding of you, and what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Any step I take today will be followed by another tomorrow and another… at least I hope so. By your grace, may it be so. Amen. |
AuthorRev. Bruce Frogge Archives
February 2025
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